Apple leads 2025 global smartphone shipments with 20% market share and 10% YoY growth

• Apple topped global smartphone shipments in 2025 with 20% market share and 10% YoY growth
• Apple’s growth is driven bythe  expanding presence of iPhone 16 and the launch of iPhone 17 Series in Q4
• Samsung (19%), Xiaomi (13%), vivo (8%) and OPPO (8%) come behind Apple
• Global smartphone shipments grew by 2% YoY in 2025, fueled by 5G devices demand and an upgrade to premium devices
• Smartphone prices are expected to rise in 2026 due to chip shortages

Apple has topped the global smartphone shipment rankings in 2025, achieving a 20% market share and 10% year-on-year (YoY) growth, and ranking first among the top five brands.

According to a report by Counterpoint Research, Apple’s growth in 2025 was fueled by the launch of the iPhone 17 series, which gained traction in Q4. Its iPhone 16 product also continued to perform exceptionally well in Japan, India and Southeast Asia. 

While reacting to Apple’s performance, Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research, Varun Mishra, explained that Apple’s growth in 2025 was driven by its “expanding presence and rising demand across emerging and mid‑size markets, supported by a stronger product mix.”

He added that the iPhone 16 and 17 sales performance was “further amplified by the COVID‑era upgrade cycle reaching its inflection point, as millions of users were due for replacement.”

iPhone 17 Pro (Image Credit: Apple)

Recall that at its 2025 event, Apple launched its iPhone 17 series, including iPhone 17, iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17 Pro Max, and iPhone Air. 

The products, coming a year after the launch of iPhone 16, incorporate a chip touted as the most powerful and efficient for an iPhone yet. The products are an attempt by Apple to extend its lead in the global smartphone market. 

Also Read: iPhone 17 Pro for $1,099; See all the latest 8 Apple products.

Samsung, Xiaomi, Vivo and other comes behind Apple

With a market share of 19% and 5% YoY shipment growth, Samsung comes second in the 2025 global smartphone shipment.

Samsung’s growth was attributed to its Galaxy A series, including the Galaxy Fold7 and S25 series. The products, according to the report,  drove traction and outperformed their predecessor. Amid its sales pressure in Latin America and Western Europe, Samsung’s growth in 2025 was fueled by momentum in Japan.

Xiaomi is third with 13% market share and 0% YoY growth. Its significant presence in Latin America and MEA, coupled with effective channel management, helped sustain the company’s shipments despite industry headwinds. 

Vivo came in fourth, with a 8% market share and 3% YoY growth driven by its offline execution in India. While OPPO saw a 4% YoY decline due to weak demand and fierce competition in its home market, China and the Asia-Pacific, it holds an 8% market share. 

Outside the top five spots, smartphone maker Nothing and Google recorded 31% and 25% YoY growth, respectively, in 2025.

Global smartphone shipment’s growth 

According to the report, global smartphone shipments grew for the second consecutive year in 2025, registering 2% YoY growth. Although the 2% growth is less than the 4% YoY growth recorded in 2024.

The growth was fueled by smartphone users upgrading to premium devices, while the demand for 5G devices witnessed a sharp rise across developing regions.

“Tariff-related concerns prompted OEMs to front-load shipments in H1, but as the year advanced, the impact of tariffs proved milder than anticipated, curbing their influence on H2 volumes,” Senior Analyst at Counterpoint Research, Shilpi Jain said. 

He further noted that “the entire 2025, growth remained uneven across regions as markets such as Japan, the Middle East and Africa (MEA) and certain parts of the Asia-Pacific (APAC) offset the weakness in mature markets.” 

In the 2026 outlook, the global smartphone market is expected to witness a surge in price. According to the report, the price hike is related to DRAM/NAND shortages and rising component costs, as chipmakers prioritise AI data centres over smartphones. 

In addition, Apple and Samsung are projected to remain resilient, supported by their strong supply chain capacity and premium market positioning. Meanwhile, Chinese manufacturers focused on lower‑price segments are expected to face increased pressure.

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